Jaime was being chivalric in the book? He was having sex with his sister in a crypt next to his dead son.

demanding that art conforms to your sensibilities is fairly privileged.

He came back from trying to kill one child and killing a relative.

And what's with all this violence and killing in stories as well? Can't they tell a story without that as well?

A little more commentary by the director…."That whole scene has to be one of the most taboo, disturbing things that has happened on the show.

Well when you start with throwing children off cliffs you really only one way to go and that's redemption.

Fair enough. But I don't think this show is trying, in any way, to be a reflection of American cultural values. I don't think Martin is either.

I would like to hear him expand on his point some. I think his point is that both people are so screwed up that ultimately even struggles like this are part of the ritual.

FTR, here is what the director said to Alan Sepinwall(I didn't see it quoted here).. "Well, it becomes consensual by the end, because anything for them ultimately results in a turn-on, especially a power struggle. Nobody really wanted to talk about what was going on between the two characters, so we had a rehearsal…

What part of the United States is Game of Thrones depicting?

It seems to me that the show is also trying hard to keep the characters more balanced. Jaime has been portrayed very favorably recently even moreso in the books. However I don't think the show can get away with that as easily. Jaime is a pretty awful human being and while many readers may like to see his…

And the gay references regarding Renley, Loras and Oberyn were oblique and and not detailed. Is it horrible that they show that in the show as well?

Well I guess if you find sex and violence inherently exploitative, I can see why you find this show to be exploitative.

In a show as graphic as this, I don't find rapes to be particularly shocking. Certainly not as shocking as throwing children off ledges or having them watch their parents get butchered for stew.

Well your definition of cartoon villain certainly seems to apply to lot of REAL people in the world.   And perhaps we can talk about how a producer at CBS actually DID forge information because they BELIEVED that Bush did go AWOL and didn't want the actual lack of evidence to prevent them from telling the story.

How is Jerry a cartoon villain?  That is hyperbole.

I disagree with a lot of your assumptions.  Now I fast forwarded through the Jim/Hallie/Maggie silliness.  So perhaps I missed something.

I agree this was the weakest episode of the season so far.   Far too many contrived plot devices.

I don't even know what you are criticizing about the show right.

That is a limitation of the medium.  You have to create an amalgam otherwise the show will simply meander far too much.  Instead of having Will McAvoy and the other host who does brief cameos, they would need a half dozens hosts plus their EPs plus their APs and having a general story arc becomes impossible.